The Shadowed Hearts Series
by dystmesis
Summary: A strange visitor and his guests to Mia's house brings about yet another adventure for the Ronins. The Amazon rain forest, new armors, and... a new Nether World ruler?Soon to be revised a little, possibly a lot. o.o
1. Character Guide

the good guys  
1. Tori Landinburg  
Age- 17  
Hair- Shoulder length dark blue hair with green chunks- cut to where it raises to about eyebrow length in back.  
Eyes- Dark blue.  
Armor- Dusk  
Kanji- Responsibility / Nin  
A little more-  
Tori is a hard-headed, straight-forward person. She's not afraid to  
fight and quite frankly, she's really good at it. Her determination  
sets her apart from Laura a bit, but they grew up as friends and will  
forever remain so. In finding their armors, Tori has taken the  
unofficial role of protecting Laura.  
Tori finished school two years before their class and became a  
scientist- archaeologist, to be specific. She is stationed in Brazil  
in the Amazon Rainforest under a well-respected figure.  
  
1. Laura Robinson  
Age- 17  
Hair- Shoulder length lilac purple with silver streaks.  
Eyes- Black  
Armor- Dawn  
Kanji- Faith / Seii  
A little more-  
Laura is a soft-hearted scientist, but not exactly what you'd call a  
tree- hugger either. This teen has been in her share of fights. But,  
she's what most people would call gullible. Her best friend and  
confidante is Tori and she would do most all that she could to protect  
her- though she doesn't seem the one to jump to that role.  
As like Tori, Laura graduated two years early- and followed into her  
own (as well as Tori's) dream profession- archaeology. She was  
stationed on the same expedition as Tori, under the same  
archaeologist.  
  
the bad guys  
1. Cyris Deminon  
Age- 20  
Hair- Dark blue with two silver bangs that fall on both sides of his forehead.  
Eyes- Deep, oceanic blue.  
Armor- Tempest  
Kanji- Suspicion / Gishin  
A little more-  
Cyris is a rogue- to be put bluntly and best. His past is a touchy  
subject, for when he was but a child, his parents were murdered and he  
was left eternally scarred. An American with a mix of an Australian  
brogue and a Brooklyn accent, he finds himself forever with that lust  
that men had in the 1800s- that same wanderlust.  
He found his armor in an electrical storm on the outskirts of New  
York. Little did he know that the armor orb had been placed there for  
him to find. After a long journey, he found himself in the depths of  
the Nether Realm- working for someone he cared nothing about.  
  
1. Cevran Landor  
Age- 20  
Hair- Brown with black tips.  
Eyes- Deep hunter green.  
Armor- Massacre  
Kanji- Destruction / Kujo  
A little more-  
Cevran is the most carefree of the new warlords. With simplistic  
nature that could almost befit a child, he is congenial to the point  
of disgrace to the Nether Realm. With such an optimistic outlook on  
life and joy, there is often speculation as to why he is there. Cevran  
lets them wonder away. As he will clearly make the point, he does as  
he is told and that is all.  
He does hold a nasty secret in his unconsciousness- though. Orphaned  
at such a young age that he couldn't even remember them, he grows dark  
if the topic of family is discussed. Though not many things can get on  
this man's bad side, family and traitors will rile him in an instant.  
  
1. Kernan Watson  
Age- Appears 26; unknown age  
Hair- White  
Eyes- Somewhat reflective, an odd mix between silver and white.  
Armor- Avalanche  
Kanji- Loneliness / Kodoku  
A little more-  
Kernan is a reserved young warlord. His nature is not to trust easily  
and he has a natural insight about people and things that is almost  
never wrong. This is why he is an essential asset to the Nether Realm.  
He also has yet another gift, sometimes in his dreams, he sees things  
that happened, are happening, or will happen. Not always clearly but  
strongly enough to get the point through.  
Kernan loves the cold, snow, and ice. He doesn't fear fire, but he  
doesn't like it either. Obedient but he often questions higher  
authority motives. The shed of human life seems useless to him, but he  
has sworn his honor and he will not go back on that without good  
reason.  
  
1. Trisdor  
Age- Unknown  
Hair- Black with red tips.  
Eyes- Red, mixing with black.  
A little more-  
Trisdor was once a happy child, loving everyone and everything. As he  
reached his teenage years, things began to change. As all evil was in  
the Nether Realm, it began to affect him. Soon, he was destructive and  
powerful.  
Even through his destruction and strong manner, he never stopped  
caring about his friends and acquaintances. After a fight in which he  
was denounced wrong, though, he disappeared. Months later after  
Tulpa's demise, he appeared the strongest in the Nether Realm, ready  
to take over the world.  
  
1. Soana  
Age- Unknown  
Hair- Waist length violet.  
Eyes- Sky blue.  
A little more-  
As Trisdor emerged to take over the mortal world, Soana appeared to  
assist him in any possible way. Not too much is known of this woman,  
part warrior. She is vile but strong, and often condescending to all  
of the Warlords, especially to Cevran- with his happy nature.  
She is often ruthless to get what she wants, but she doesn't dare step  
out of Trisdor's plans. To others, it seems she bears many scars,  
wrong decisions, and - maybe even - secrets?  
  
the other guys  
1. Dr. Reese Baiyrd  
Age- 35  
Hair- Brown with gray around his sideburns and edges of his hair.  
Eyes- Deep brown.  
A little more-  
Dr. Baiyrd is a distant American relation of Mia's and one of the key  
researchers in the discovery in the Amazon. He's rather softhearted  
(as like Laura) but he hates to see a fight - unlike both of his  
younger apprentices. He knows his profession and is a good linguist. 


	2. Prologue

Shadowed Hearts Series Prologue By: Dream Lover  
  
~  
  
Tori Landinburg stood at the edge of the small cliff overlooking the newfound city of Bysdan- or so deemed by the other archaeologists. It was a small, quaint city to say the least. The buildings constructed into the sides of the huge Amazon trees weren't spotted from above. What she didn't get, though, was why wasn't the tomb seen from arial view? From all four cardinal entrances to the city, the huge earthen-colored rock tomb loomed above all else. Why wasn't it visible, then? Was there some kind of ancient tribal magic protecting it from view or something to that extent?  
  
The teenage girl laughed out loud at this. No sooner than was the idea sprung from her head than it was shot down. There wasn't any kind of magic or such in this world. What had she been thinking? It was probably just that no pilot bothered looking close enough. Tori quickly decided that she had been in the Sun for too long. Knowing she should go back, she berated herself as she stood in awe at the city.  
  
Oddly enough, the cliff she was on was just the right height to see the grand structures with the trees and appreciate the effort put into them. She could now see that the means of transportation in this city was both on ground and through the trees, as there was some wooden bridges connecting trees - - some of the paths landing right on top of a building - and some harshly beaten paths on the ground below. With a small sigh of wonder, she let her eyes roam over the city once more. Before she could stop herself, Tori laughed, thinking of how great an achievement this truly was- and that she had been included in the discovery.  
  
From about ten feet back, another figure stood watching Tori. Laura Robinson had been greatly appreciative of her best friend as the days in this city- no- this country grew longer and harder. She wasn't the one to complain though. What could she say? That she was living her dream and that she and Tori had been there when what could have been one of the most important archaeological discoveries for centuries was made? Ohh, heavens no! That would be preposterous! She shook her head, sending a wave of shoulder length lilac hair with silver streaks around her. She was living her dream. Even if this hadn't been Tori's desired profession at first, she had kept an open mind when Laura was telling her about discoveries and the magnificence of archaeology. What followed, however, was an absolute surprise. Tori had become so engrossed in the subject that they both had became archaeologists.  
  
Hearing a small laugh from her best friend, Laura decided to make her presence known. "Laughing at air, eh? I do say, my partner, that you have been in the sunlight too long."  
  
Tori spun rather unnervingly. She hadn't known that anyone was around. When she noted that it was Laura, though, Tori relaxed. If not anyone else in the world, Tori knew she could trust Laura. After all, she was her best friend as of ten years now. She smirked. "I was thinking along the same lines. C'mere."  
  
Laura stepped up with ease beside her friend and for a moment, just examined her. She was deeply tanned- that was what the Amazon sunlight could do to one, though. Her hair was dark blue with green chunks, cut to where it was shoulder length in the front and raised until about eyebrow length in the back. It brought out her midnight blue eyes rather well. Boy, how things had been so different when they were in school - still two years above their class - but carefree and happy. That had changed, though, when the Forest made them realize the danger of their profession by using Walter White. Tori's eyes had grown so much darker after that. When Laura realized those same eyes were looking at her inquiringly, she quickly amended. "I'm sorry, Tor, I was just thinking about how the Amazon rain forest changes people. It's done a bunch to you."  
  
"Yeah, I guess it has." Tori looked back toward the city, deep in thought. "But I wouldn't change it, Laura. You know that right?" When she received no answer, she continued. "I love it out here, and I owe it to you that I'm here."  
  
Laura shook her head. "You would have found your way out here somehow."  
  
Tori looked at her, uncomprehending. "Do you mean to say that I would have came out here without you teaching me all about archaeology? I highly doubt that."  
  
The lilac haired girl smirked- a rather sad smirk. "Oh, so your telling me that you - my best friend - would have left me out here with such little protection?"  
  
For a long moment Tori didn't answer, the same tall tale signs of a smirk playing on her face. "I guess your right. You are like my sister and you do need my protection."  
  
Both girls remained silent for a long moment. After what seemed to be forever, Tori met Laura's black eyes and grinned. In unison, both girls burst out laughing. The sound resonated off of trees and the forts built around those trees. In their moment of distraction, neither girl noticed a figure watching them, contemplating what was to become. 


	3. Chapter One

Shadowed Hearts Series Chapter One By: Dream Lover  
  
~  
  
Rowen stumbled unceremoniously on a stair step but graciously caught hold of the banister before tumbling face forward. The blue haired, blue eyed teen already knew this day was bad. It had just started out on the wrong foot for him. Before he even reached the bottom of the stairs, he had himself convinced that everything was going bad for him that day.  
  
As he stepped off of the last step putting a hand in front of his mouth to cover a yawn, Mia entered the room and stopped, looking hard at him. "What?" He grunted, looking down. "I'm clothed." In truth, no one could admit that he wasn't. A pair of midnight blue boxers and a white shirt was technically clothed. Heck, he even had blue socks on. So what was wrong?  
  
"You're going to have to go change. We have company coming in today." Mia said shortly before shaking her head and leaving the same way she had entered.  
  
Rowen stared after her, indignation clear on his face. As he turned sleepily, he decided he was right about his day. He just didn't know how right he was. "What's all this about company? Jeez, it better be someone important. I'm hungry!" The Ronin of Strata grumbled as he started back upstairs to change.  
  
Outside the Koji residence, Sage sat quietly on the verandah, trying to figure out just who or what this sudden 'mysterious' company was. Mia had received a call early this morning from someone unknown and the moment she put the receiver down, chaos had ruled the home. Mia had ran to every room cleaning and as every warrior came down for breakfast or some other reason, she made it strictly clear that important company was arriving today and they were all to be on their best behaviors. It struck him as odd how something this major could appear so suddenly.  
  
Rolling his eyes- but only his left eye visible from the style of his hair, he glanced once more in the direction of the driveway. Sage was waiting on Cye, Kento, and Ryo to return from town with their groceries for a special supper. Undoubtedly for this special guest. He had no problems with staying at the house, that was, after all, what he had wanted to do. It gave him time to think and relax. This free time would have also helped to calm his nerves but the warrior had a dreadful feeling about what was going to happen. He wasn't sure if it was connected to this guest- though on the other hand, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what it was.  
  
The hum of the jeep as it turned into the driveway caught the blonde's attention. He stood and walked down off of the porch to meet the vehicle as it pulled to a stop. Ryo turned his attention to Sage immediately.  
  
"Any word?" The unofficial leader of the Ronin Warriors asked. Ryo had turned, picked, processed, and plucked all of what he knew until he came up with what the others had decided- he was completely clueless. Ryo hated not knowing what was going.  
  
"None whatsoever." Sage said, shaking his head. He reached over as Kento handed him a bag out of the back and took it carefully. The Warrior of Halo thought momentarily about picking through the bag to see what they had purchased, but before he could, Mia came out the front door.  
  
"Ohh good, you're here." She said, in an obvious rush. " If you four could please take those bags into the kitchen, I'll get started on the meal. I want everything to be perfect." A look came over her face as if she remembered something important, she pivoted and disappeared once more.  
  
"That went well." Cye then sighed, contemplating. "I better see if she needs help with that meal." With that he climbed out of the jeep with a grocery bag and headed indoors.  
  
"I hate this." Kento grunted as he jumped down off the side of the jeep. "Why can't she just tell us what is going on?" He glanced at Ryo, then at Sage.  
  
"Hey," Sage said, shaking his head as if to reassure his point. "Don't ask me. I'm just trying to help out." He held the door open for the other two to enter, then followed them.  
  
"We know, we know." Ryo said. "I just don't like this at all." He led the way into the kitchen and began unpacking the bag he was carrying on the island bar. Ryo then glanced around once more and in not seeing the hostess anywhere near, he added, "It's like she doesn't trust us suddenly."  
  
Kento shook his head and finished chewing a piece of candy. "I think she still trusts us. She's just worried about whoever--"  
  
"Or whatever." Sage interjected, rather aggravated.  
  
"Yes, or whatever this guest is." Kento finished.  
  
"Why can't she tell us though?" Ryo asked. "Let's see, how many times have we saved her life?"  
  
"Enough." Sage's tone was low, nearly growling. It was one thing to keep secrets, but to act like they were children- Mia was going too far.  
  
Ryo glanced at Sage, noting his inflaming anger and decided to talk to him later. Somewhere deep down in Ryo's mind, he knew that they could handle whatever was going to happen- but he also knew that Sage always wanted things out and open between everyone there. This was most definitely not what anyone would call open-ness. "I guess we just have to live with it. She's not going to tell anyone anything."  
  
Kento looked from Ryo to Sage then back to Ryo. "We will see tonight..."  
  
"We better." Sage grunted as he finished unloading the bag he was working on and threw it across the room into the trash can. "We better."  
  
Before anyone could say another word, though, a voice came from the door connecting the dining room to the kitchen. "Food. Finally, I'm starved."  
  
Everyone turned to look at Rowen, who was now dressed in his normal attire. Rowen blinked, looked down at his outfit, then back at the other Ronin Warriors. "What? Don't give me that, I'm completely dressed and ready for whatever company may come. Just gimme some food!"  
  
The corner of Sage's mouth twisted up in a minuscule smile. He glanced at Ryo and Kento to see that they were both smiling too. Looking back, he said, "Let me guess, you've ran into Mia this morning?"  
  
Rowen nodded, his eyebrow raising quizzically. "How did you know?" He walked over and took a seat beside Kento and looked around for something to eat before grabbing an apple.  
  
"Let's just say it's been a long morning for us." Ryo said, shaking his head in an exasperatingly slow manner.  
  
~  
  
The hallway was long, dark, and gloomy to Cevran's spirits. He was in an extremely good mood today and a visit to Trisdor's throne room would only dampen his mood so. "Ohh well." He murmured to the silent, echoing hallway. "I do as I'm told." With nothing else to think of, he began to wonder what his Master would want to see him for. There hadn't been anything go wrong in his plans for the conquering of the mortal realm, now had there?  
  
Cevran ruled that out. Trisdor wouldn't allow anything to go wrong in his plans. Why was he being summoned then? The young Warlord just didn't know nor could he make sense of it. There could be a change in plans... Yes, that may be it. Shivering, he hoped it had nothing to do with Soana. That woman hated him- well, not just him, she hated all of the Warlords. Cevran took a moment trying not to roll his eyes at that thought. What true good would it do for them if she hated all of them except Trisdor? Once again, he didn't understand much about Soana- but- no one really did. The half- warrior, half-lady had just appeared ready to serve his Master.  
  
He cut his eyes to the right as he arrived at the throne room. Shoving the huge doors open easily, he didn't bother to knock before entering. "You called, Trisdor?"  
  
"Don't you have any manners, you wuss?" A darkly feminine voice purred from his left. Cevran didn't feel the need to even look at Soana. As it was, her words didn't matter worth a pile of dung to him.  
  
"Speak of the devil." Cevran did roll his eyes this time. Instead of answering her, he stood waiting for Trisdor to answer him.  
  
"Yes, Cevran, approach. Soana, you are dismissed." Trisdor said, ignoring Soana and Cevran's comments. When Cevran did so and bowed and Soana had exited, the young ruler continued. "You know about the Rotational Armors, yes?"  
  
"I'm afraid so, I am familiar with the legend." Cevran replied slowly. The legend was a long known one in the Nether Realm, almost as fabled as the Ronin Armors. It was said that eras ago on Earth, there was a precious metal called Denyix. This metal was so rare, so extraordinary that the discoverers were killed for their great discovery- but not before they could put this special metal to good use. It took them days and nights to finally decide on what to make, but once it was confirmed, the work on the Rotational Armors was grand indeed. The armors were completed in a record amount of time. As the ruler of the Nether Realm of that time, Sowan, was planning an attack, the main discoverer of Denyix died. Tragically, along with him, the Rotational Armors were buried- and seals of magic placed around his tomb. This didn't stop the Sowan from attacking in hopes of somehow still getting his hands on the armors. When he attacked, it was a sad day for the Nether Realm. They had clearly underestimated their opponents- and even though they destroyed all of the inhabitants of the city - all that went on the attack died. The fight for the Rotational Armors was at a standstill. No one in the whole of the Nether Realm knew of where the armors lie hidden- and there was no one alive in the mortal realm who knew of the precious Denyix or of the fabled Rotational Armors.  
  
"You know you wear armor that was created in an attempt to create Denyix?" Trisdor broke into his thoughts, knowing that he was thinking of the legend.  
  
Cevran tried not to take a step back in shock. "Is this true?" He asked slowly. The Warlord had no fear of the Trisdor, for he had allowed a loose companionship with his warriors. Unlike Tulpa and his predecessors, Trisdor was rebellious of conventionalities.  
  
"Would I lie to you?" When Cevran stood silent, he added. "Come now, Cevran, what good would it to for me to lie to you?" Trisdor's black hair with red tips shifted as he stood, jumped down off of the throne, and began pacing. After a moment he stopped and looked at his Warlord with piercing red-black eyes.  
  
"None, My Lord." Cevran realized Trisdor was right. What he had told him was true and more than likely, anything he was going to tell him would be true. The Warlord tried to brace himself for anything that may come.  
  
"Yes, I've realized that it would be beneficial to actually tell my Warlords things. I don't understand why anyone hasn't seen this before, it's rather obvious." Trisdor then smiled and met Cevran's gaze again. "I'm terribly sorry, I do ramble on. As I was saying though, your armors and the other Warlord's armors are created in an attempt to create that refined metal. I must admit, the engineers did a grand job with those armors. They were called the Supplement Rotations, but I sense that you three would yet have a different name for those?"  
  
"T-A-M." Cevran said slowly. "Pronounced just as Tam."  
  
"Tam, eh? I like that. They shall be known as that from so forth." Trisdor turned once more toward his throne and sat back down, bored with pacing. "As I was saying, they did a grand job with the Tams. The engineers did create a new metal in these armors, did you know such?" Cevran only shook his head. "Well, it is called Danyz. This material is rather precious in its own way. It has some extraordinary talents. Such as healing and it has the ability to summon its counterparts - the other two armors. If you were ever in a place when you needed your comrades to know where you are, just trust your armor." Trisdor paused. "Have you any questions yet?"  
  
"No sir, I don't." Cevran answered, though in his mind he did have one prominent question- why was Trisdor telling him all of this? Simply enough, the Warlord decided to wait and see what would become.  
  
"Good, good. Now I don't have much more to tell you except that I know where the Rotational Armors are." Trisdor said, a smile creeping across his rather handsome features.  
  
It was all Cevran could do to not outright gawk at the man. "I beg your pardon, sire? You know where the Rotational Armors are...? But how? And where?"  
  
Trisdor's smiled turned into a grin. "Yes, they are in the Amazons. How? Well I had a hunch after reading some of the accounts of Sowan's time."  
  
"And sire, if I may ask, why would you want me to know this?" Cevran slowly inquired. He didn't particularly like the way this conversation was turning.  
  
"Because, my Warlord, I have a job for you." Trisdor said simply.  
  
~  
  
"Ratsa-frackin-drackin..." Laura mumbled incoherently as she tried to pull her bag out of the overhead compartment of the plane. After another hard tug, it released and sent her falling backwards. Before she could hit the ground, though, two strong hands caught her. She looked up to see her mentor and the man she was apprenticed to.  
  
"Dr. Baiyrd, so nice of you to catch me." She said as she regained her footing and turned to face him.  
  
The brown haired, brown-eyed man smiled. He was about thirty-five years old and one of the most highly experienced and respected archaeologists in their field of study. Both Tori and Laura had been apprenticed under Dr. Reese Baiyrd- and they grew to look to the man as a father figure. "It's no problem, Laura."  
  
She nodded, then looked around. "Where is Tori, sir?"  
  
"She's outside fetching a cab. Have you got everything?" He asked, looked at her two carry-on bags through his silver-framed glasses.  
  
"Yes sir." Laura replied. When he turned and started to walk away, she added. "Sir, why are we here?"  
  
He turned for a moment, then smiled grandly. "I am a good linguist, you know that right? Well, I'm not any good at all when it comes to decoding cryptic messages. I have a relative here that is rather good at that."  
  
"Ahh, I see, so the glyphs on the tomb is the cause of all this...this..." Laura couldn't find the right word and finally just threw her arms up and ushered Dr. Baiyrd out of the plane.  
  
Outside in the bright sunlight, Tori had already found them a cab and loaded the bags. When the Doctor and Laura arrived at the cab, Tori took Laura's carry-on bags and stuffed them in the trunk, then closed it. They all then preceded to get in the cab- the Doctor in the front passenger's seat, Tori and Laura taking the back seat. They were on their way through Toyama.  
  
~  
  
"Okay, company should be here any minute." Mia said, fussing with the flower arrangement on the dining room table. She was obviously nervous- as she had been for the last half-hour or so.  
  
"Mia, relax. I'm sure this can't be that bad." Ryo said, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. He met her eyes and gave her a small nod as if to support his statement.  
  
At that moment, Kento entered breathlessly from the side door. "There's a car in the driveway. Some guy and two girls are unloading bags from the trunk."  
  
"Ohh goodness, let's go help them." Mia said, following the line of Warriors out the door. When they got out there, though, the cab was pulling away and the two girls were shouldering all six bags- miraculously, it seemed as if without effort.  
  
"Reese Baiyrd! It has been so long." Mia greeted throwing her arms around the man's neck.  
  
He embraced her back. "It has been, hasn't it?" Baiyrd slid her arms off of him and looked past her to where the five Ronin Warriors - and White Blaze - who were standing either in shock or in anger. He raised an eyebrow inquisitively, but before saying anything, he reminded himself of his manners. "Girls," Baiyrd said over his shoulder, "Come here, I'd like you to meet a family member of mine."  
  
"Family member?" Cye's English accent pressed through the dusky night air.  
  
"Yes," Mia said, turning slightly to give him a 'shut-up' look, "This is Dr. Reese Baiyrd, an archaeologist."  
  
"Ohh." Sage said lamely. He was obviously surprised that this guest had been a family member. Wait- what had he been expecting? Some kind of Mia's old lover? No, he didn't like her that way. Then why did he feel rather relieved at the thought of being able to trust this man? Maybe because that's what was worrying you?! Another part of his mind answered. Yes, he had simply been worried about trusting this guest. That was it. The Ronin of Halo let out a soft sigh.  
  
"Mia, this is Tori Landinburg and Laura Robinson. They are my apprentices." Baiyrd introduced. "Tori, Laura, this is Mia Koji, a distant cousin on my maternal side."  
  
"Ahh, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Laura said, sticking out her hand for her to shake.  
  
When Mia did so, Tori followed suit. "Yes, a pleasure." She added in an undeniably cold tone that Mia didn't seem to notice- or didn't mind if she did notice.  
  
"Yes, and these are..." Mia flustered, not knowing how to introduce the warriors. Thankfully, though, she didn't end up having to.  
  
"I'm Rowen Hashiba." Rowen intervened. "And this is Kento Rei Faun, Cye Mouri, Sage Date, and Ryo Sanada. We're friends of this branch of the Koji family and are lodging at Mia's place."  
  
"Ohh, well I didn't know so, I assure you. If you are too crowded--" Baiyrd got cut off by Mia, who was making strong hand motions as she spoke, something that only happened when she was really nervous.  
  
"No, no, there's plenty of room. Why don't we all come on in for dinner, I'm sure you three must be hungry."  
  
"I don't know about them, but I sure am." Kento murmured, causing a laugh to run through the other four Ronins. "What? I am." His facial expression assured his statement.  
  
"Well, I could go for a bite to eat." Tori said slowly. She was still eyeing Mia dangerously. To her, it seemed that Mia was a little too happy to see the Doctor. More than a cousin should be greeted, at least. Or maybe it was just her. She could be just trying to protect the Doctor. Pulling her gaze from Mia, she looked at Laura. "What do you say, Lac?"  
  
"I'm not really hungry, Tor." The Doctor met her gaze sternly. "But in the interest that I wouldn't want to appear rude, I'll have a bite."  
  
"Good. Now, shall we ladies and gents?" Baiyrd said. What followed were murmurs of agreement, so they went back into the house.  
  
After Laura and Tori had put the bags in the respected upstairs rooms, they washed up and hurried down to the dining room to find everyone was waiting on them. Quickly, they took their seats- Laura between Cye on her left and Tori on her right, and Tori with Laura on her left and Rowen on her right.  
  
"This is great. My compliments to the chef." Baiyrd said nonchalantly.  
  
Sage nodded toward Cye. "You'd be complimenting Cye there. He's the grand chef around here."  
  
"Really?" Laura asked. When Cye nodded, she added. "It is delicious."  
  
"Thank you." Cye said, a twinge of a blush lighting his cheekbones.  
  
"Lac, I thought you weren't really hungry." Tori said with a nudge to her best friend's ribs. In their way of speaking it meant- stop flirting.  
  
"Ooh. Cye's got a girlfriend." Kento chanted from the other side of Cye.  
  
"No I don't, Kento, and if you don't eat that food yourself, I'll shove it down your bloody throat." The Warrior of Torrent was obviously embarrassed.  
  
Clank- Rowen, Sage, and Ryo's forks hit their plates at the same moment, all three gawking at Cye's choice of words. The first to recover was Rowen, who peered around Tori and Laura to look down at Cye. "Yo, buddy, Cye. Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes, I'm okay." Cye said slowly, desperately wanting to get back to his meal. He didn't dare look up and meet Rowen or Laura's eyes. It was enough that Kento had the nerve to say that but for Ryo, Rowen, and Sage to act this way. Fighting off the feeling that he was blushing hard, Cye quickly looked down and began in again on his meal.  
  
"Anyway, Mia, it seems that I should finally explain my proposal." Baiyrd said, putting his fork down in a gentlemanly manner. He looked around the room once more to find that not only Mia was looking at him, but also every single eye was focused in his direction. That thought brought a small smile to his mouth, for they all were but eager young children in his eyes.  
  
"Please, do continue." The hostess said after he had paused for what seemed to be an eternity.  
  
"You are aware of the discovery of an ancient civilization in the Amazons, correct?" When they all only nodded, he continued, his voice growing as his excitement increased. "To know more about these people and this culture would be simply amazing. They seem to have been ahead of their time by many millennia." He paused once more, obviously thinking his next words over carefully. "I'm afraid though, that there are glyphs on the tomb and scroll writings that none can decipher." Baiyrd looked up and Mia hardly, almost in an intimidating way. "I would humbly ask that you would put forth an effort to decipher these marvelous encryption."  
  
The whole table was silent for a moment, with every gaze turning from Mia and Baiyrd to look at the persons sitting around them or beside them. After a moment of this and of low whispers, everyone's attention finally turned back to Mia and the room grew silent.  
  
Mia had a half-hearted smirk on her face. "Well, Dr. Baiyrd, I'm sure it couldn't hurt. I'll give it my best shot."  
  
"Whoo! We're going to the Amazons!" Kento jumped up, grinning madly. What followed was thick laughter, and none could argue with his simple joy.  
  
"Yeah, it seems we are, Kento." Rowen said, looking over at the Doctor, who was on the other side of the table from him, then to the two teenage girls on his left.  
  
"Good! My jeep will pick half of us up tomorrow morning, the other half can ride in Miss Koji's jeep and follow us." Baiyrd said, pulling out his cell phone to make the arrangements. "If you would excuse me." He disappeared into the living room.  
  
"The Amazons and ancient civilizations, who could have guessed?" Sage asked, a smile crossing his features. "This may yet prove to be the most awesome experience of our lives."  
  
"Could be." Tori said slowly.  
  
"I doubt that, Sage." Ryo said, smirking. He looked like he was about to make another statement, but suddenly looked toward Laura and Tori and stopped.  
  
"What?" Laura said innocently. Her facial expression twisted from a smile to a confused glare. "We didn't do anything."  
  
"It's nothing." Sage amended for his friend who was sitting beside him and directly across from Tori. "He really didn't mean anything. Please don't take offense."  
  
Tori nodded, but didn't say anything. Instead, she took another moment to study this colorfully odd group of teens. If you'd pass them on the street separately, you would never have known that they were such good friends. Vaguely, she wondered what kept them such. What was holding the ties between these guys? She was going to say something to Laura about it but before she could, the Doctor entered jovially.  
  
"Well, it is all arranged. We will be heading to Brazil tomorrow."  
  
"All right." Cye said softly. "We're leaving tomorrow."  
  
Laura glanced over and wondered if anyone had heard the young man's statement except her. When no one seemed to answer her, she laid her hand upon his in a friendly gesture. "Trust me, Brazil isn't as bad as what you may think. You'll enjoy it."  
  
Cye paused and looked up at her and thought his words out carefully. "I've just never been anywhere past Japan. I guess I'm a little worried."  
  
"Don't be so." Tori said encouragingly. "We'll be just fine." Laura nodded to affirm her best friend's point. It was in that instant that she realized her hand was still on top of Cye's and quickly pulled it away.  
  
The blue eyed teen looked up and met Laura's black eyes, but she unconsciously made the decision not to let him see too much and averted her gaze hastily. What on heaven and Earth did she think she was doing? She ... Her mind just lapsed. Cye Mouri was a good guy. She probably could trust him- what was her problem? 'I can't trust guys. I just can't.' Laura resolved once more. The farther away she was from trusting guys, the farther she was from getting hurt. It didn't matter how nice they seemed- she wouldn't allow the chance to be hurt to happen again.  
  
"If that's all the announcements, I propose that we finish our dinners and get busy. There's a multitude of work to be done before tomorrow morning and we have to sleep sometime." Mia said.  
  
"She's right." Ryo agreed. Then he looked over at Laura, who was looking past him and out the window, her deep black eyes distracted. In turn, his gaze flowed to Tori to find her looking sadly at Laura. She then shook her head and must have stomped on her best friend's foot, for Laura suddenly snapped out of her gaze and met his eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry." The lilac haired girl said quickly, looking back down at her plate. "If I may be excused now, I'd like to go wash the dishes I've used and retire for the night. We're going to have a long day tomorrow."  
  
Baiyrd looked at Laura as she walked off, a twinge of sadness in his eyes, but that suddenly disappeared as he looked at Tori. "Tori, would you--"  
  
"I'm on it." Tori said, standing. When the Doctor coughed loudly, she added rather dejectedly, "If I may be excused also, I'd like to go help Laura in the kitchen."  
  
"Of course you may." Mia said warmly though Tori was already half out of the room.  
  
Kento glanced at Cye, who was staring at his plate and moving his fork over his plate with no real intention of eating. "You okay, Cye?"  
  
"Hmm? Ohh yeah. I'm fine." The Ronin of Torrent smiled.  
  
"Good." Kento nodded. He let himself become absorbed with the conversation of the trip and possibilities of what may come.  
  
~  
  
Later on that night Tori had taken the bottom bunk in one of Mia's spare bedrooms. Laura hadn't said a word to her for the rest of the night, nor had she said anything to Laura. The midnight blue haired girl knew that Laura would have no problems opening to her in her own time. That was what she was thinking about in the dark depths of the night. If she could sense anything, it was Laura's emotions. In a way, Laura was so much like a part of Tori's own spirit and though she waited for Laura to speak, it didn't mean she waited patiently.  
  
Laura was softhearted and gentle where Tori was anything but those two traits. The only people she was gentle toward was her family- including her mentor - and her close friends. Often she could say that she was proud of that fact- that she didn't trust too many people. Laura- on the other hand - was different. If she was to let her guard down for a second, she'd have trusted too much- and more than likely - would be hurt from it. Tori wrestled with the fact that Laura should trust people and that she shouldn't. It seemed she was too trusting, too open.  
  
"Tor?" Came a soft voice from the bunk above her. Tori resisted the urge to smile at Laura's childlike similarity  
  
"Yes Lac?" Tori replied easily, snuggling into her covers more.  
  
"I nearly let myself trust Cye today." Disappointment reigned in her voice. Either that or grief it was. The two were both closely intertwined, so Tori couldn't exactly tell.  
  
"Yeah, I seen that. Don't worry about it. He's a nice guy- you should be able to trust him."  
  
"Tori, the last man I trusted wanted to kill himself!" Laura said adamantly. What Tori noticed was the fact that Laura didn't add the other part of her sentence on- that he would have shot Tori herself if it wasn't for the Doctor.  
  
"I highly doubt Cye's going to kill himself just because you meet them. Or any of the other guys here, for that matter. You're not the one that drove Walter to his death, you know?" Her voice softened. "Remember what the Doc said? The alcohol had actually impaired his mind. You remember, to where he couldn't even think of what his name was...And he was speaking of something called the Nether World or such." For a long minute, there was silence. Tori was reliving the last few moments of Walter White's life in her mind. She had never been so scared for her or for Laura's life...  
  
White stood at the edge of the lake, gun pointed toward his own head. "I'll do it!" He cried out. There were actually tears running down his face, gleaming off of the bright moonlight.  
  
"Walter, don't...Please." Laura said softly. She couldn't believe he would actually do this. Beside her, Tori glared at the man, wanting to leave, but not trusting him with that gun.  
  
"You don't understand girl. He won't leave me alone. His voice, these places in my dreams..." His eyes suddenly took on a deeper psychotic glint. "Nether Realm...What is the Nether Realm? You'll never find out." The gun suddenly swung from his head to Tori's forehead- point blank.  
  
Her eyes widened but Tori didn't move. The next few moments were in slow motion for the girls. The report of two guns sounded and Walter fell to the ground, blood running from his chest down. Another shot ricocheted off of a tree behind them and finally landed in the dirt.  
  
"Are you two okay?" Baiyrd said from behind them to their right. He quickly rushed up to Tori and grabbed her hands. "He didn't hit you did he?"  
  
"No, no he didn't." She said in a daze.  
  
Baiyrd then turned to Laura. "Laura, are you okay?"  
  
"Yes sir, I am." Laura looked past him. "He's dead, isn't he?"  
  
The older archaeologist looked down in shame. "Yes, he is. He didn't even see me..."  
  
"Thank you sir. You saved my life..." Tori said. Baiyrd turned and pulled her into his arms.  
  
"You're like a daughter that I never had, Tori, you remember that, okay?" He said, sighing somewhat. "I'd die trying to protect you two." Baiyrd looked at Laura, who nodded slowly.  
  
Tori forced herself out of her memories. Yes, that had been a terrible night- but it was over and in the past. Finally, she said, "Lac, you can trust other people. It was just an unfortunate event."  
  
Laura sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, I can't. I thought I liked him- I also found myself to be wrong. I don't want to take that chance though, losing another person I like. I'm sorry, I just can't. G'night, Tor."  
  
"G'night, Lac. I understand." Tori said, looking out the window at the third-quarter moon. She made up her mind in that instant. Laura should be able to trust guys. If she didn't, she was only hurting herself. Somehow, Tori had to get her best friend to trust more- and she suddenly realized, she herself should trust more also...  
  
~  
  
If anyone thought yesterday morning was chaos at Mia's residence, then this morning was complete and total pandemonium. With nine people and a tiger rushing to get ready in one hour and only two bathrooms- things were a little bit odd. Everyone was happy about their trip, though, Tori, Laura, and Dr. Baiyrd were glad to be going home- the Ronin Warriors and Mia were glad to be going somewhere besides home.  
  
Within the next hour, they had gotten ready and boarded onto Dr. Baiyrd's private jet- for cause of White Blaze traveling with them. Once settled on the plane with Mia and Baiyrd a few rows up and paying no attention to them, the other seven were seated comfortably- and a inquiry truly began.  
  
"Ohh, I hate planes." Tori grumbled. Without any real thought, she looked at the other teens and asked, "You five fly much?"  
  
"Not really. We don't travel much at all." Ryo replied.  
  
"What's it like in Brazil?" Sage asked, looking at the two archaeologists. For a moment, neither girl said anything, then they looked at each other.  
  
"Well," Laura began. "It has it's good and it's bad parts- as you could guess. It's a beautiful land and virtually uninhabited in the Amazon forest except for the Indians. We try to keep the land as we found it, just cataloging and learning more about the civilizations and the people who used to live there. Though, the Sun does beat down in some places rather hard and you're basically isolated except for the other forty-seven people in our expedition."  
  
"Wow. Fifty people all together. I'd bet you get a bunch done." Rowen said wistfully.  
  
"Yeah. It seems there's always more to be done." Tori nodded.  
  
"Is there anything else we should know about the rain forest?" Cye asked. Laura gave him a small smile- he did look a little leery of this whole ordeal.  
  
"Just don't bother the Indians - if you chance to see one, beware of the snakes and other dangerous animals -" Tori paused, looked at White Blaze, and smiled. "Though I doubt you'd be very afraid of them with him around. As I was saying, watch out for animals, and try to stay away from all the insects you can. Diseases run high around these parts."  
  
"Do you hear that Kento? The girls said..." Cye stopped and shook his head upon seeing his best friend. Kento was already asleep, the conversation lulled him off in that direction. "So all right."  
  
"Hey, Lac, do you have your carry-on bags with you?" Tori asked after a long moment of silence, looking around her and her best friend's seat.  
  
"No, they're in the back with the other luggage. I planned to get some more rest on the way back. Why?"  
  
"Ohh, I was just wondering if you had any books I could read." Tori said nonchalantly. When Laura began to stand, though, she added, "Never mind, I'll be okay without them."  
  
"You sure?" The black eyed girl asked. Tori nodded so she sat again.  
  
"I have a question." Sage interjected.  
  
"Shoot." Laura replied, fussing with her passenger's belt.  
  
"Laura, why does she call you Lac?" He asked slowly, hoping he wasn't getting into any personal matters.  
  
"Lac? Well--"  
  
"Have you seen her hair lately? It's lilac. I like to shorten it and call her Lac." Tori grinned.  
  
Laura shook her head, smiling. "I'm sorry. Tori does love to joke around with my hair color."  
  
"Ahh. I see." Sage said. He did understand. It was custom with best friends to tease the other about something- and that something in this case just happened to be Laura's hair color. It sort of reminded Sage how he teased Rowen about sleeping late all the time. He shook his own head somewhat and smiled. Then, another thought rose in his mind. "I'm sorry if I'm coming across as a pest, but how old are you both?"  
  
"Seventeen." Tori answered- she was lying back in her chair, eyes closed, and seemed to have taken Laura's idea about resting on the way back.  
  
"Seventeen? You're seventeen and out of school?" Rowen asked incredulously. This subject had caught his complete attention.  
  
"Yeah. We graduated a two years ago and went into archaeology." Laura replied with a small smile on her face- and her cheeks light pink.  
  
"Wow. That's pretty amazing." Sage said, looking at Rowen. They were on summer vacation right before their senior year of high school. Suddenly, he was wondering why his best friend had stayed in school when he could have already graduated.  
  
"Do you ever miss it?" The dark-blue haired warrior asked.  
  
For a moment, a faraway look crossed over Laura's face. Then she shook her head. "Not really. I'm too busy to miss home or school." She looked directly at Rowen as she said that last sentence.  
  
"I see." Rowen said, nodding. In reality, he didn't really understand why the girls would miss the opportunity of going through their senior year. For sure they had missed so many things. That was one of the reasons he had decided to pass up the offer to graduate early. Rowen thought he would miss too many important times with his friends. Then again- why graduate when you wouldn't have anything better to do without your pals?  
  
It was nearly completely silence for the rest of the trip. Kento, Tori, and Laura had fallen asleep while Ryo, Cye, Sage, and Rowen were surrounded by their own thoughts. Below them, the Atlantic Ocean stormed angrily.  
  
~  
  
*She had lilac hair ... and gray - no - silver streaks in it. Her eyes were liquid iron- the blackest as he had ever seen. Why did she look so sad? Was she lonely- like him? No, he now seen that now as the area around her began to expand. There were plenty of people around her. Wait- was tha---  
  
"Kernan..." The voice was as sweet as honey and as soft as the whispering wind. He knew it was her voice...*  
  
Suddenly Kernan sat up in a cold sweat, his white hair doing its usual- going every way possible. The Warlord frowned. This was the same girl he had been seeing for weeks now in his dreams. As always, the same people were with her, but she still seemed lonely. Once again, the thought that he knew some of those people bombarded his mind. He couldn't exactly place them though.  
  
Without even wanting them to, his thoughts flew back to her. Why was she calling to him? He barely knew her, heck, he only knew her through his dreams of her- of that much he was sure. Then why was this girl calling to him...?  
  
He fell back against his bed, hands behind his head to break his fall somewhat. Staring at the ceiling, he suddenly knew it was late morning, but didn't move to get up. So what if it was. His mind was still boggled by this apparition in his dreams. He lie there for the longest time, running through the dream in his mind until the details began to fade- like all of the dreams did... If he could just meet her. Maybe he could hold her in his arms and make her feel better about whatever was troubling--  
  
"STOP IT!!" He roared at himself suddenly, nearly scaring his snowy white pet owl - Diamond - in the process. He couldn't fall in love with dream girls. Kernan didn't even know if this girl actually existed. For all he did know, he could be just making her up from his lack of human contact and wishing she could be so.  
  
Yes, he had pushed everyone away. He didn't feel the need to let them into his life. Kernan frowned. Though sometimes it was good to share things with people- a lover, especially. Someone he could tell his heart to, someone who wouldn't laugh at him.  
  
That was someone who didn't exist, Kernan suddenly realized, an ache twisting his heartstrings. There had been someone for him like that once but even she had left him for another man. That's when he decided that he didn't need anyone. It would be nice to have someone like that, but he didn't have to have anyone. He would make it on his own.  
  
Rolling to his side, Kernan looked at Diamond, who wooed gleefully that he was finally paying attention to her. He smiled and decided that all was not bad. After all, he still had Diamond. Kernan stood and fed her, then headed to the bathroom. With the light that was streaming in from the windows, he didn't need to bother lightning a candle. Sure, maybe the Nether Realm could be cruel, but he belonged in this world with no attachments to anyone else.  
  
He turned his attention to the mirror though. Kernan was deeply tanned with white hair and some of the oddest eyes anyone had ever seen. His eyes were a mix between white and silver and nearly as reflective as the mirror in front of him at times. This trait showed up especially when he was angry or hurt. He then donned on his normal attire, which consisted of a white muslin shirt and black pants. With a moment of hesitation, he grabbed his sword sheath and swung it over his back.  
  
Kernan then walked out of his quarters and into the hallway when he stopped as Cevran appeared at the end of it.  
  
"I just had a second meeting with Trisdor." He sighed as he walked by- as if to explain his dangerous countenance.  
  
Kernan only nodded as the other Warlord continued walking. He knew how meetings with the Master could be and if it was something important enough to rile Cevran... Well, the white-haired boy decided to keep quiet and watch things around here. Sullenly, he had a feeling of dread wash over him.  
  
~  
  
The jet touched down in Brazil sure enough. No problems had occurred during the flight and many of them were glad it was over. After their bags had been unloaded into two jeeps, it was decided that Dr. Baiyrd, Laura, Tori, Cye, and Ryo would be riding in the leading jeep, and that the others - Kento, Rowen, Sage, and Mia - would be in the following jeep.  
  
"So," Ryo began, "About how long is the drive to the dig site?"  
  
"Round about an hour, I'd say." Baiyrd answered as the jeep pulled out of the airport.  
  
Beside Ryo, Cye was looking in every direction around them and above them. Wondering if something may be wrong, Tori said, "Cye, is something bothering you?"  
  
"Ohh no." The blue-eyed boy replied. "I was just looking at the beautiful scenery around here." He cast a glance at the ground beside them. "So, there aren't any initial dangers?"  
  
"If you mean large animals and such, no. They are usually scared away by the engines." Laura answered. Cye paused for a moment to look at her. She seemed at home in this environment- maybe even anxious to get to the dig site.  
  
"I can't believe we are going to an actual archaeological dig site." Ryo said, his eyes alight with wonder at the thought.  
  
"You'll love it." Dr. Baiyrd assured him. "You seem to be the kind that appreciates everything- big and small."  
  
Ryo just smiled and watched the road ahead of them.  
  
In the following jeep, the same excitement was being shared. "This is so cool!" Kento whooped.  
  
"Yeah, so calm down, Kento. We may be staying here for awhile." Mia said, grinning. It was the first time she was acting informal in the last two days, and she had to admit that she found it rather relaxing.  
  
"Mia's right. You may be sick of this place by the time we leave." Sage added, sharing in his friend's same enthusiasm just not to the extent that Kento was.  
  
"Did you know that the Amazons have over eleven hundred tributaries and seventeen of those rivers are more than a thousand miles long?" Rowen read out of a book he had borrowed out of Mia's library about the Amazons. He looked up from it and grinned. "The longest, Rio Negro, releases some sixty- seven thousand cubic feet of water per second. That's four times the Mississippi River in the United States."  
  
"Really... That's ...long." It was the only word Sage could find that was telling how he felt about the river. In that moment, he finally noticed how big the Amazon was and how lost they would be if something wrong happened.  
  
"Hey! Ninety-nine bottles of Coke on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of Coke, take one down pass it around. Ninety-eight bottles of Coke on the wall." Kento began singing, interrupting Sage's train of thought.  
  
"Kento, please, no!" Rowen said, but when the Ronin of Hardrock didn't stop singing, Rowen looked at Sage and shrugged. "If you can't beat 'em, ..."  
  
"Join 'em." Sage finished. With that, both of the boys joined in with Kento singing Ninety-Nine Bottles of Coke on the Wall.  
  
The jeep train appeared at the dig site about an hour and a quarter later. Being good hostesses - under Dr. Baiyrd's instruction, of course - Laura and Tori showed the warriors to their tent. When it came time for them to show Mia to a tent, though, they had no where to put her.  
  
"Dr. Baiyrd, where should Mia stay?" Laura asked as she ran up to him. He looked from her to Tori and Mia who were following her.  
  
"What's the problem?" He asked slowly.  
  
"It turns out that moths have eaten part of the last extra tent and it's out of commission." Laura explained. "There's not another extra tent to use."  
  
"That's simple. Let her bunk in the tent you two were going to use as yours." Baiyrd said, then started to turn back to his work.  
  
"Our tent?!" Tori flared. "But there's not enough room!"  
  
Baiyrd gave her a strong warning glare, but she didn't budge. "Is there an extra cot?" Tori nodded. "Then surely you can make room for this woman who has so graciously allowed yourselves to have your own room in her residence."  
  
"Gah!" Tori said half because she was angry at what he had said and half because Laura had stepped on her foot in the same instant.  
  
"Oops. Sorry Tori. Accident." But her look said it wasn't. Leaning in toward Tori, she said, "Just do what the man says. Do it for me."  
  
"Fine, she can bunk in our tent." Tori said.  
  
"Good. Now if you ladies would excuse me..." He turned to continue studying the pottery that was recently found and brought from the city to the campgrounds.  
  
Laura smiled gratefully at Tori. She knew the only reason that Tori had agreed was because she had asked her to. For some reason, Tori didn't like people in their tent. Maybe she thought that they were thieves or something like that, Laura didn't know. Tori just didn't let them around though. Maybe she wanted to keep things simple - just between her and her best friend, but whatever it was, Tori didn't want people around. It was too bad, because she was going to have to get over that, and by the dangerous look in Tori's eyes, she knew it too.  
  
Tori led the way back to their tent, not wanting to run away from Laura, but trying to get away from Mia all the way. She was infuriated that the Doctor would make her share their tent with someone. Laura was different, for she was like Tori's own sister. For all she could know though, Mia could be some kind of psycho or something! She growled once more and left it at that. It was only because of her friend's wishes that she bothered to let Mia stay, and she thought she had made that quite clear to the Doctor. Once she arrived at the tent, she stormed in, not bothering to hold the flap open for the other two girls.  
  
When they were all three inside, Tori stepped back outside and yelled at the first familiar face she saw. "Hey, c'mere."  
  
When the man arrived, she gave him orders to go get a cot out of the storage tent and bring it back here. As he went off to get the cot, Tori went back into the tent.  
  
Mia had noticed that Tori was having a hard time letting her bunk in their tent. More than Laura was, at least. Trying to be nice, she said, "It's very gracious of you to let me stay with you."  
  
"Hmph." Tori replied.  
  
"She means you're welcome." Laura said nonchalantly.  
  
Mia watched as the two girls unpacked. They seemed to work in a pair, their movements corresponding in the small tent. Little was said, but what was already known by the other one. Mia shook her head slightly, amazed at how two people had grown so accustomed to each other that they seemed to be just one person. Laura finished before Tori did, and she stuffed her bag under her own cot.  
  
Laura then laid back on her cot. It was good to be home. About that time, a man appeared at the doorway, mumbling something about Miss Landinburg and a cot.  
  
"Bring it in here, please." Tori murmured lowly. The man did as he was told and sat the cot up on the opposite wall, where Tori had moved some of their bags over to the center of the tent to make room. "Thank'ya." Tori added as he was leaving. She then turned to Mia, "There's food and drink at the Caf tent, it's the biggest one you see when you walk out of here and to the right for a few minutes." Her blue eyes averted to Laura. "I'll be at the Sunrise section if you need me."  
  
"Okay." Laura said rather lamely as she watched her best friend leave. "I guess that leaves me for tours. Come now, Mia, the others should be unpacked by now and ready to explore." The archaeologist stood and headed toward the door-flap, Mia following.  
  
Laura couldn't believe how right she was though. When she arrived at the boys' tent, Kento was sitting outside in the dirt waiting for them since someone had told him he couldn't wander through the city aimlessly. Sage and Rowen were standing in the doorway - obviously bored as well while Cye and Ryo were sitting in the very inside of the tent, talking in low tones.  
  
"Knock-knock." Laura said, walking to them.  
  
Kento jumped up and grinned. "Can we go look around now?"  
  
Laura focused behind him to see Sage and Rowen waiting expectantly, too. Her eyes barely caught the flash as Ryo and Cye stood in unison to stand behind Sage and Rowen. Laura then looked back at Kento. "Well okay, but only with me as your guide."  
  
"YES!!" Kento jumped up and punched the air above him in joy. The rest of them laughed and they slowly began their tour.  
  
The touring lasted a good part of the rest of the day. In which, Laura didn't see Tori at all. So, that night as Mia and Laura were headed back to their tent after her shower, Laura rushed ahead to see if Tori was there.  
  
When she found Tori lying in bed reading by lantern light, Laura couldn't help but smile. "Hey Tor, where were you today? I looked all over for you."  
  
Tori looked up and smirked, then in seeing Mia enter behind Laura, frowned. She then decided that she still should answer her best friend's question. "I worked out on the Sunrise section today, as I told you."  
  
"Isn't that with another group?" Laura asked as she sat down on her cot, which was relatively close to Tori's and took her shoes off.  
  
Mia went to her own cot and laid down without a word.  
  
The midnight blue eyed girl sat up and turned to look at Laura- their cots nearly met at the head. "Yes it is, but they let me work with them."  
  
"Ohh." Laura felt the cold tone toward her in Tori's voice. "You'll have to tell me about it later." Laura then laid back, trying not to think of anything. "G'night Tori. G'night Mia."  
  
"G'night Laura." Tori replied slowly.  
  
"Good-night Laura." Mia replied.  
  
Tori sighed inaudibly- she didn't want Laura to worry. Today had been a rough day, she decided, and tomorrow will be even harder. Before she could stop herself, Tori slid off into sleep.  
  
~  
  
Dawn swept over the horizon ceremoniously. Laura stirred first, the light from the Sun bleeding through the side of the tent. Careful not to wake anyone, she sat up, pulled an over-shirt that hung to her knees on and walked outside. What caught her attention before she had even opened her eyes was the smell of ash. When she did open her eyes, her voice caught in her throat and her liquid iron eyes widened. "Aak..." The reality began to set into her mind, but before she could even begin to react, something moved behind her to her left. She cut her eyes a moment before something hit her in the back of the head, only to remember seeing a flash of dark blue or black - she couldn't tell which one - before falling unconscious.  
  
The End. 


End file.
